Inequality Matters to People Worldwide, World Bank Photo Contest Shows

WASHINGTON, January 30, 2013 – Eleven photographers have been selected as winners of the World Bank’s “Picture Inequality” photo contest for their powerful images and statements on inequality. The contest attracted more than 750 photos from participants who sought to show what inequality and lack of opportunity means to them.

Each winner will receive a digital camera valued at $500 and an opportunity to have their images shown to the world.

A panel of four judges chose winners from the 36 finalists selected through an online public vote held immediately after the photo submission period ended in December 2012. More than 8,000 votes were cast during the two-week voting period for the 756 pictures submitted. The judges selected winners based on the quality and message of the photo, as well as of the statement participants submitted to explain how their images relate to inequality.

“Picture Inequality” was sponsored by the World Bank with financial support from the Nordic Trust Fund, a Bank-managed knowledge and learning program on human rights.

“The contest photos show that unequal access to quality education, health services, clean water and sanitation, continues to represent a major barrier for the hundreds of millions who remain stuck in poverty worldwide,” said Jaime Saavedra, director of the Bank’s Poverty Reduction and Equity department. “The photos confirm that inequality of opportunity is a complex and multi-faceted challenge that leads to poverty and which requires action at many different levels.”

The “Picture Inequality” photo contest is among a number of initiatives the World Bank has spearheaded around opportunity and equity issues in recent years, such as the Human Opportunity Index.